Motor-vehicle.



E. SCHAEFER.

MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLlcATloN min JAUNE 24. 1913.

PatentedNov. 2, 1915.

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Witnesses Inventor- A Edward Schfer'.

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EDWARD SCHAEFER, 0F NIEDERSCHNEWEIDE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

AApplication led .Tune 24, 1913. Serial No. 775,472.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD SGHAEFER, subject of the King of Prussia,residing at Niederschneweide, Germany, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is aSpecification.

My invention relates to motor vehicles and particularly to theconnection of the running gear of such vehicles to the frame thereof.

It is usual in such vehicles to employ radius rods which connect theaxles with the body or frame of the vehicle to transmit the movement ofthe running gear to the body. Such radius rods have been flexiblyconnected to the body, heretofore, in order that the axles may move inaccordance with the play of the vehicle springs. Such flexibleconnections, however, only relieve the running gear from torsionalstrains and the vehicle body from strains due to the vertical motion ofthe axles .when the wheels runover rough places in the road.

My invention has for its object a novel construction of such radiusrods, which not only take care of such strains as pointed out above, butalso all lateral or thrust strains Vsuch as those due to the starting orstopping tion reference may be had to the following' description takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a vehicle in which myinvention is embodied; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of myradius rod, and Fig. 3 is a side lon the frame.

vehicle with the part 2 of the axle and comprises a thrust rod 10 and acrank 11 pivotally connected at one end to the thrust rod and flexiblysupported at the other end I have shown the crank 11 provided withaspherical stud which is engaged by thevthrust rod 10. In order toflexibly support one end of the crank on the frame, I preferably employa casing 12 fastened to the side member 1 and in which is rotatablymounted a shaft 13. The free end of this shaft which extends out of thecasing carries the crank arm 11. The shaft 13 is journaledl, in bearings14 and has a rectangular portion 15 which is enlarged. Piston-likespring plates 16 are pressed against two opposite sides of therectangular 'portion of the shaft 13 by'means'of springs 17, which alsoengage the covers 18 of the casing. If the shaft 13 rotates in eitherdirection, the springs 17 are cornpre'ssed -by the rectangular portionofthe shaft engaging the spring plates cornerwise, and thus the rotationof this shaft is elastically opposed.

I have shown the crank 11 at an angle of approximately 45 to theldirection of the thrust forces arising in the thrust rod 10 due tothe'starting, stopping or other sudden changes in the speed of thevehicle. By arranging the crank at this angle, it can be rotated in bothdirections by these thrust forces as Well as by the strains due to thetendency of the stationary part of the axle to turn in its support. Myradius rod also relieves the propeller shaft 8 from all strains.

Since only the component of the forces in the thrust rod 10 which areperpendicular to the crank 11 produce any rotation of the crank, andsince this component is dependent upon the angle which the crank, armmakes with the direction of the voriginal force, it is possible bysuitably selecting the angle of inclination of the crank, to establishany desired relation of the resisting forces of the springs 17 to thethrust forces and the turning force on the thrust rod 10.

Although I have described my invention in. connection with a vehiclehaving a rear axle composed of two parts, one stationary and the otherrotating, it may be employed in connection with one having a xed axle,as is common in electric motor driven vehicles, or other forms of axleconstructions, and I aim in the appended claims to cover suchmodifications as well as any modifications which donot depart from thespirit and scope of my invention.

What l claim as 'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnitedStates, is

1. In a motor vehicle, al frame, wheels and a wheel axle, and a radiusrod for connecting the axle to the frame, said radius rod 'comprising athrust rod connected at one end to the axle, and a crank flexiblysupported on the frame so that it may oscillate around its point ofsupport, said crank being arranged at an angle other than 180 to thethrust rod and pivotally connected thereto.

2. In a motor vehicle, a frame, wheels and a wheel axle, vand a radiusrod comprising a thrust rod having one end connected to said axle, acrank plvotally connected at one ,end to said rod and extending at anangle other than 180 degrees thereto, and means for iiexibly supportingthe other end of Vsaid crank on said frame. v/

3. ln a motor vehicle, a frame, wheels and a wheel axle, and a radius7rod comprising a thrust rod having one end connected to said axle, acrank pivotally connected at one end to said thrust rod, means forpivotally supporting the other end of said crank onv the frame, andmeans resisting the l turning of said crank.

4. A. radius rod for a motor vehicle comprising a crank arm pivotallysupported at one end on the vehicle framea thrust rod connecting theother end of the arm with the axle, said crank arm and thrust rodextending at an angle other than 180 degrees to maaier each other, andHexible means resisting the turning of said crank on its pivotal suport.'

5. In, a motor vehicle, a frame, whee s and a wheel axle, and a radiusrod comprising a thrust rod having one end connected to said axle, acrank pivotally connected at one en'd to said rod, and means for lexiblsupporting the other end of said crank on said frame comprising a shafthaving a rectangular portlon` and a spring member co.- elilatfing withsaid rectangular portion of said s a t.

6. lln a motor vehicle, a frame, wheels and a wheel axle, and a radiusrod comprising a thrust rod having one end connected to said axle, acrank pivotally connected at one end to said rod, and means for flexiblysupporting the other end of said crank onsaid frame comprising a shafthaving a rectangular portion, bearings for said shaft, and a springmember coperating with said rectangular portion of said shaft.

7. In a motor vehicle, a frame, wheels and a wheel axle, and a radiusrod comprising a thrust rod having one end connected to said axle, acrank pivotally connected at one end to said rod, and means for'flexibly supporting the other end of said crank on said framecomprising a shaft having a rectangular portion and spring memberspressing against two opposite sides of said rectangular portion of saidshaft.

8. In a motor vehicle, a frame, wheels and a wheel axle, and a radiusrod comprising a thrust rod having one end connected to said axle, acrank pivotally connected at one end to said rod, and means for iexiblysupporting the other lend of said crank on said frame comprising a shafthaving a rectangular portion, bearings for said shaft', and springmembers pressing against two opposite sides of said rectangular portionof said shaft. ,y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26 day of May,1913.

ALB. KRGER,

C. BTEINBERG.

